Circular-knitting machine



(No Model.)

J. E. GEARHART. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 457,643. Patented Aug. 11, 1891.

Inventor VVztizesses m: Nuams Ferns co., Puma-11mm, wasxmcn'on, o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH E. GEARHART, OF OLEARFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,643, dated August11, 1891.

Application filed December 2, 1890.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. GEARHART, of Olearfield, in the county ofOlearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Circular- Knitting Machines; and 1 do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to knitting-machines; and it consists in theconstruction and arrangement of parts, which will be fully describedhereinafter.

The objectof my invention is to operate the cylinder by means of apivoted toothed plate, which is operated by the crank-shaft.

Figure l is a vertical section of a machine which embodies my invention.Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Figs. 3 andet are detached views of the.mechanism for revolving the cylinder. Fig. 5 is a detached view of thecrank-shaft.

This invention is intended as an improvement upon the machine of thepatent granted to me April 1, 1890, No. 424,877.

A represents the frame, of any suitable constrnction, in which the loweredge of the revolving grooved cylinder B- is held by the upwardly andinwardly extending flanges A, formed upon the inner edge of the frame A,and which frame not only supports the operating parts, but serves as ameans for securing the machine to any suitable support. The lower end ofthe cylinder B rests upon the inwardly-extending flange 2 of the frame.

Formed upon the lower edge of the cylinder B are a laterally-extendin ghorizontal flange a and the vertical flange b, in which are made thecogs or teeth 0, which are cast as a part of the cylinder instead ofbeing made separate therefrom and then secured in position. Casting theteeth as a part of the cylinder greatly reduces the cost and labor ofmaking the cylinders, and is a great improvement over having to form theteeth separately. These teeth correspond to the-grooves n, in which theneedles are placed, and hence each tooth or cog moves the cylinder justfar enough to bring another needle into operation.

Serial No. 373,290; (No model.)

Secured to the frame A, upon one side, is a stationary support D, to theupper edge of which is fastened the reversible yarn-guide formed threeopenings B',-through which the yarn passes. Secured to the end of thisbent plate G is a wire take-up spring H, through which the yarn ispassed after it has been passed through two of the holes in the bentplate, and from the end of this spring, which exerts a constant outwardpull upon the yarn, the yarn is passed through the last one of threeholes, as shown. The needles, as the cylinder revolves, cause a constantpull upon the yarn, and this pull has a constant tendency to pull theyarn against the outer side of the bent plate, and this tendency thespring serves to counteract and takes up the slack thread caused by thedownward motion of the needle. The spring also prevents any sudden jerkupon the yarn, which would have a tendency to break it.

Journaled upon the top of the plate I, which is secured to the outturnedends of the frame A, is the crank-shaft I, which is shaped as shown. Theopposite edges of the standard D are bent over, as shown, so as to formguides, in which the slotted vertically-moving plate L moves, and whichplate has the cranked portion of the shaft to extend through it for thepurpose of raising and lowering it as the shaft is revolved. Pivoted tothe upper end of this vertically-sliding plate L is the plate N forraising and depressing the needles, and which is made substantially thesame and operated in the same manner as described and shown in my saidpatent. Pivoted also to the standard is a plate 0, which extends downbelow the lower end of the sliding plate L, and which has a tooth Tformed on the inner side of its lower end, and which tooth engages withthe teeth of the cylinder for the purpose of revolving it. This plate ispivoted at its upper end and has a recess 0' stamped or formed in itsside to receive the inner free end N of the crank-shaft, which, whenmade to revolve,

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its lower end, and this reciprocating motion causes the teeth to pushthe cylinder around It is immaterial in which direction the crankshaftis made to revolve, for this toothed plate will drive the cylinderequally as well in either direction, and it is only necessary to changethe yarn-guide and tension device from one side to theother.

Placed inside of the cylinder is the circular toothed plate P, whichcatches in the work and serves to exert a tension upon it, and securedinside of this circular toothed plate is a spiral spring S, which hasits lower end turned inward to the center of the machine and then bentdownward, so as to receive a tension-weight upon it. The toothed plateand the spring being secured together, it is only necessary the weighthaving been placed upon'the inturned end of the spring to cause theteethto catch in the work.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 7 1.' The combination ofthe standard, the cylinder, the sliding slotted plate, the crankshaft,the plate for raising and depressing the needles, and a pivoted toothedplate for causing the cylinder to revolve, substantially as set forth.

2. In a knitting-machine, a cylinder having cogs and carrying needles, astandard, a reciprocating slide which raises and depresses the needles,a plate pivoted to the said reciprocating slide having a tooth whichengages the said cogs, and a cranked shaft which operates the twoplates, the parts combined substantially as shown.

3. In aknitting-machine, a frame, a cylinder having cogs and carryingneedles, a standard outside of the cylinder, a recipro eating slide onthe standard, a plate pivoted at its upper end to the upper end of theslide and having a tooth at its lower end which engages the said cogs,and a longitudinal guideway, and a shaft having a crank which operatesthe said slide, its inner end engaging the said guideway of the saidpivoted plate,

the parts combined substantially as specified.

I In testimony whereof I affix m signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH E. GEAR-HART;

Witnesses:

J. B. MoENALLY, E. M SOHEURER.

